Coming Home
by n1c0le
Summary: What will happen when Casey and Derek see each other for the first time in three long years? And what secret has Casey been hiding away all these years?
1. Miles Away

**Author's Note: **_Later chapter(s?) will be rated M... for now they are rated T, though! Hope you all enjoy this new fic! Feedback will let me know if I should continue!_

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He stared down at the card gripped between his hands, his dark eyes unblinking. His dad and Nora (well, mainly Nora) sent a card every once in awhile, just to update him on the lives of his family. Edwin was a junior in high school now, and Lizzie a sophomore. Both were on the honour roll and Edwin was already looking into universities. Little Marti was almost finished with junior high school, and was president of her class and in both the French and art club. His dad and Nora were still working hard, as always.

He got used to the fact that he was never updated on Casey.

Casey left for Vancouver right after high school. It had been three years without a word from her. Apparently she phoned her mother from time to time, just to say hello, but never said much about her new life. One that she obviously didn't want her family a part of.

Derek had been accepted to McGill University in Montreal with a hockey scholarship. To everyone's surprise (especially his!) he actually had gotten serious after graduating high school. He plugged away in university, making much better grades than he had gotten in high school and rarely ever partying. He even had a steady girlfriend, much to his best-friend Sam's shock (_who said he couldn't settle down_?).

But practically every day, Derek would think about Casey. Or, more specifically, the night before they left for university. The last time he had seen her.

_There was a soft knock on his door late the night before he was supposed to leave for McGill, and Casey for the University of Vancouver. He hadn't been able to sleep, excited and rather apprehensive about opening the next chapter of his life. At eighteen, he knew that he had his whole life to look forward to, and tomorrow would be the beginning of it._

"_Yeah?" he asked, sitting up in bed, curious as to who would still be up at this hour._

_To say he was surprised to see Casey awkwardly creep into his bedroom would be an understatement._

"_Case?" he asked, turning on the lamp next to his bed. She looked like a bag of nerves. "You okay?" he couldn't help but frown at his sister's concerned look._

"_I'm, uh, just kind of nervous," she said, looking down at her hands. "I thought maybe…you know… since we're kinda going through the same thing and you're so much more… not a nervous wreck, unlike me, maybe we could…" she trailed off, instantly regretting her idea to come into his room and make a fool out of herself, desperate for someone to talk to at this late hour._

"_Come here," Derek said softly, patting his mattress._

_Casey didn't say anything as she crossed his bedroom and sat her trembling body next to him._

"_Why are you so nervous?" Derek couldn't believe how fragile his usually strong stepsister looked, and how meek she seemed sitting next to him in her dorky duck pajamas._

"_I, uh, don't know," she gnawed on her lower lip, still not meeting his eyes, shamed that she was even there needing his comfort. "It's just… Vancouver is so far, you know? And everyone… everything I've ever known is here. I just… think maybe it was a mistake to pick a university so far away from home."_

_Derek sighed, knowing she needed some of his exuberant amount of confidence. "Case… Vancouver has just the right program you're looking for… you know that it was the right choice. Plus, you got that great academic scholarship." He reached over to pat her hand. "You're above this place, Case. You always were."_

_Casey finally looked up, touched by his un-Derek-like words. Her frightened blue eyes met his calming brown ones and he saw her visibly relax, for some reason actually comforted by his words and his demeanour. _

"_You're going to have a great life out there," Derek spoke the next words softly, staring deeply into her eyes. "And you know the rest of the family will still be here. And you… you can call me anytime you want to talk, you know that, right?"_

_Casey didn't know that. She never thought she would be comforted by her obnoxious stepbrother who had tortured her all through their high school years._

_He wasn't quite sure how things progressed, but the next thing he remembered was capturing Casey's lips with his own, something he had secretly longed to do for the three years of high school he had spent with her. He didn't expect Casey to respond, but, to his excitement, she did. And as their lips moved together, Derek couldn't remember when he had ever kissed a girl and had a feeling like this before. A feeling of… absolute perfection. Like everything at that one moment was right in the world. Like the planets had all aligned and everything around them had stopped. And it was just the two of them._

_As his tongue snuck out and tasted its first taste of Casey's warm skin, he moaned out her name, knowing that if she didn't stop him soon, he would be in too deep. They would be in too deep._

"_It's okay, Derek…" she whispered, running her fingers through his hair so gently he could almost cry. _

"_Are you sure?" his lips reluctantly left the juncture of her neck and he looked deep into her hazy eyes. Eyes that were full of trust and purity._

_She answered by gathering up her new-found courage and pulling her pajama top over her head, leaving herself exposed to Derek, whose eyes glazed over at the tantalizing sight._

"_I want this," Casey nodded, reaching out and stroking the nape of his neck, where his hair was standing on end from the amazing electricity crackling between them._

"_I've always wanted this," he admitted to her before capturing her lips again. This time they didn't stop._

_And, in a beautiful moment he would replay in his mind for years to come, his stepsister gave her virginity to him._

_The next morning, when he woke up, she had already left for the airport. Without a note. Without a call. Without a trace of what had transpired between the two of them aside from the state of his bed sheets and the lingering scent of her vanilla shampoo on the pillow next to him._

_He knew it hadn't been a dream._

And, three years later, Derek still hadn't talked to her since that night. She hadn't called him once, or returned any of the phone calls he had made to her and always got her generic voicemail message. She didn't come home during the summer. Not even to visit.

He didn't even see her on the holidays.

It was almost like she had never existed. He had known that that night would only be that night… but he didn't think he would never even speak to her again.

And still be somewhat hung up on her three years later.

"Derek, honey?" he heard a voice bring him out of his reverie. He glanced towards the front door to see his girlfriend Amy walking into the apartment they shared, carrying several bags in her hands.

Derek walked over to her and when she put her bags down, he gave her a long, lingering kiss. A kiss that was great… but not magical. Not like the kiss he and Casey had shared.

He felt guilty when he thought about his stepsister, especially when he and Amy were making love. The way she didn't feel quite right. The way she wasn't Casey.

But he did love Amy in a way. They had been going steady for two years. But the thing that did make Derek a little uneasy was the way that Amy already made flippant comments about "when they are married" and "when they have kids." He was only 21 years old and wasn't really comfortable about thinking about marriage and children just yet.

"What's that?" Amy asked, cocking her head to the side as she stared at Derek's hand. He looked down and saw the card from Nora which he had forgotten about.

"Oh… my family's invited us to their stupid Halloween party next week," Derek shrugged. "I wasn't really planning on going…"

"Aw," Amy gave a bit of a pout. "Why not?"

"You actually want to go?" Derek raised an eyebrow at his girlfriend.

"Yeah," she smiled. "I always have fun over there."

Derek looked back down at the card and sighed. "I guess we're going to the Halloween party."


	2. Have I Got A Long Way To Run

**Author's Note: **_Thanks for the reviews! See, the more reviews I get, the faster I want to get the next chapter up to thank you guys :-D And hehe, yes I do know that I made up the University of Vancouver :-p I was gonna make up a university in Montreal for Derek, too, but I figured that he should go to the place that they invented hockey, don't you? Hehe. Anddd this is the first time I've actually incorporated a song into a fic... it just begged for me to, so hopefully it doesn't seem to cliche or anything. Alright, enjoy this chapter!_

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Casey closed her eyes as the plane's engines came to life. She couldn't help but feel like she was making a huge mistake. She had gone for three years without seeing her family—why suddenly decide to accept an invitation to one of their dumb family parties? 

That was a question she couldn't answer. But she had already promised Lizzie that she would come home for Halloween, the night that had always meant so much to them when they were younger. It had been their favourite holiday ever since they could remember. And every time another Halloween approached while she was in Vancouver, all Casey could do was feel immense guilt that she wasn't spending it with her one and only sister.

So this time, she had told her that she would come home.

Casey had told her mother, but made her and Lizzie both promise that they wouldn't tell anybody else. She was hoping to avoid one person in particular—Derek. She would only be in Ontario for two days, so she knew it would be easy to evade her stepbrother. Lizzie told her that he never came to holiday functions at the Venturi-MacDonald house anyway. Casey figured he would be spending it in his apartment anyway, which she heard was in Montreal. She imagined it to look like the ultimate swinger's pad. Complete with several dumb Playboy bimbos and nightly parties.

She tried to get some desperately-needed sleep on the plane, but her body wouldn't relax enough for sleep to actually come.

The flight would be painfully long if she was lost in her own tormented thoughts, so she turned on the TV screen in front of her and tried to get into one of the movies. When nothing seemed to hold her interest, she put on her headphones and tried to focus on the mellow music seeping into her ears.

_I know it's late  
I shouldn't call at this hour  
But yet, my fate  
I need lips to devour _

My nervous system is shot alright  
I won't sleep unless you  
Sleep with me tonight  
Deep with me tonight

_I know  
It's late  
We've known each other awhile  
I can't wait  
To see your twisted smile _

Kindred spirit of candle light  
I won't sleep unless you  
Sleep with me tonight…

Casey immediately froze. Maybe it hadn't been a good idea to listen to music. Because her thoughts were immediately thrust back to that night.

That night she would never forget. The night she was reminded of every day for the last three years.

She had slept with her stepbrother. Had sex with him. Gave up her virginity to him.

She still wasn't sure just why she had done it… sure, she was attracted to Derek. She always had been. But that night, something she couldn't explain had taken over her.

It wasn't something she regretted though, no matter what. But she was pretty sure he regretted it. That's why she had slipped out early that morning and boarded the plane without saying goodbye to him.

She figured that it would be easier that way. Easier than hearing him say those words, easier than seeing the look on his face.

And she had stayed away from him ever since.

Not just him, actually. The whole family. Because she couldn't bear for them to know what she and Derek had done. She didn't want anybody to know.

She did this not just for her. But also for her daughter, Brianna.

Her dirty little secret.


	3. Leaning On My Conscience Wall

**Author's Note: **_Wow, thanks so much for all of the great responses, in return here's a new chapter that I wasn't actually planning on posting until tomorrow. But you guys are all so wonderful that I had to post it sooner! Enjoy!_

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"I am _not_ wearing this," Derek stressed as he glared at his own reflection.

"Oh, come on, sweetie, you look great!" Amy giggled, looping her arm through his and staring into the mirror as well. She had insisted that they get Halloween costumes for the party back home. And now Derek was dressed as a duke. Complete with annoyingly itchy tights.

"No way," Derek shook his head firmly, picking at the wedgie he had instantly gotten as soon as he put on the awful tights. He had only tried the costume on to humour his girlfriend. He refused to actually wear the stupid outfit for a whole night.

"But Derek, you _have_ to," Amy whined, fluffy out her duchess dress. "Your costume goes with mine!"

Derek grumbled as he picked at the annoying collar of his costume.

"Please?" Amy continued whining until Derek finally relented just so he could stop listening to her whine.

He purchased the stupid costumes, much to the teenage clerk's amusement, and shoved the bags into the car along with their suitcases. They would be spending tonight (Halloween) and the entire weekend with his family.

It only took a few hours to get their by car, so Derek had decided that they would drive over to the next province.

When they were close, he pulled out his cell phone and rang home to let them know they would be there soon.

"Hello?" Edwin answered the phone.

"Ed, it's me… I'll be there in about twenty minutes, okay?"

Just as Edwin was replying, Derek heard Lizzie exclaim, "Casey!" in the background, and Casey's sweet laughter follow.

He was so stunned that he stepped down on his brakes, causing the car the stop fast and he and Amy both to jerk forward. Amy tore her eyes away from her fashion magazine to look over at Derek in a "_what the hell did you do that for_!" kind of way.

Derek swallowed and the sudden thickness in his throat and weakly asked, "Casey's there?"

"Yeah," Derek confirmed. "I guess so."

A hundred thoughts and memories of Casey came shooting through Derek's mind, mainly ones from the last night they had seen one another. Not able to get another word out, he simply hung up the phone and stared at it as if it was a foreign object.

Amy pulled him out of his thoughts by grabbing his arm. "Derek?"

He blinked several times before looking over at his girlfriend, who had a questioning look on her face.

"What's wrong?" she asked. She had never seen her boyfriend act like this before.

"Nothing," Derek said hoarsely, and began driving again.

Casey. Casey was there. The object of all of his dreams. The thought that had been on his mind for the past three years. And in minutes, he would be in the same room as her.

And suddenly Derek Venturi felt a new emotion creep up on him.

Absolute terror.

What would he say? How would she react? Was she seeing somebody? Hell, HE was. In fact, she was _with _him.

Would she bring up that night? Would he? Or would they pretend like it had never happened?

Derek's stomach flip-flopped.

_Am I ready for this?_ he asked himself silently as he pulled up in front of the very house he had grown up in.

He felt his palms getting sweaty as he and Amy both walked up the steps of the porch to the front door. He didn't have the chance to fumble for his old house key because Amy was already knocking on the door. It flung open not two seconds later.

"Derek!" Marti exclaimed, instantly jumping onto her favourite brother.

Derek instantly relaxed, hugging his little sister tightly to him. She had grown up so much that he couldn't believe it. "Smarti," he grinned at her when she pulled away. "You're getting so big!"

"I know!" she giggled, grabbing Derek's hand and bouncing into the house with him. Amy followed behind them, her smile wide with amusement.

"Derek, Amy," Nora smiled when she saw the couple come in, and hugged them both. But a distracted Derek continued sweeping his eyes around the room.

"Looking for someone?" Lizzie asked as she walked into the room.

She knew just who his eyes had been seeking.

"Uh, just you and Ed," Derek covered, giving his younger stepsister a hug.

"Hey, Derek," Edwin grinned as he walked into the room. No matter how bossy he was, Edwin still missed his big brother.

"Hey," Derek roughed up Edwin's lenghtening dark locks. "How's it going, kid?"

"Good," Edwin said enthusiastically, "I have a girlfriend!"

"Slutty Stacey Sanderson," Lizzie coughed under her breath and rolled her eyes.

Derek raised his eyebrows at this, but didn't get a chance to respond as Edwin began bickering with her about how Stacey "isn't a slut."

"Derek, Amy, are you two hungry?" Nora asked, coming back into the room with a plate of sugar cookies with little pumpkins on them.

"Sure," Amy giggled, taking a cookie. "Thanks, Mrs.—"

"I've told you dear, just call me Nora," Nora smiled. It was obvious that she really liked Derek's steady girlfriend. It was a surprise to them all when they found out that their Derek had actually committed to one girl.

Derek looked around again, hoping to find Casey. "Uh, is Casey here?" he tried to ask as nonchalantly as possible, as if he didn't care.

Nora didn't seem fazed. "Actually, she is. She's just visiting Emily." A smile played on Nora's lips. "I can't believe she actually came home."

Derek agreed whole-heartedly with her. He had never expected that Casey would return.

Ever.

Marti came running back down the stairs with a fairy costume on. Some things never change.

"Derek, let's go put on our costumes," Amy elbowed him excitedly.

"_You_ got a _costume_?" Edwin's eyes widened in disbelief. Boy, had his brother changed.

Derek narrowed his dark eyes at his brother but gave his girlfriend a nod.

And as he made his way upstairs with Amy, all Derek could think about was all of the times he and Casey had fought and flirted on those very stairs.

Anticipation began making his body tingle. He would be seeing Casey that very night. In the flesh.

He only hoped he found the right words to say to her to let her know how much he missed her.


	4. Everytime I Hear Your Name

**Author's Note: **_A sort of short chapter... I may post another (longer) one later if I am encouraged with enough reviews... hint hint... ;-)_

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Emily hadn't changed much—if at all. Even though they had not spoken in quite a long time, it felt like they had never lost touch. In no time the two were giggling and joking like the old times.

"So, you brought a Halloween costume, right?" Emily asked as she rummaged through her closet for hers. She had been invited to the Venturi-MacDonald party, too.

"Uh, no," Casey shook her head. She didn't have time or money to spend on frivolous things what with little Brianna in the picture. All of her money went to _Pull Ups_ and food for her daughter. She rarely bought anything for herself anymore. And those plane tickets to get here and back to Vancouver cost her a lot of money that she didn't have.

"Oh, Case, you've GOT to get a costume!" Emily immediately grabbed her car keys. "We can get to the mall fast. Hopefully everything's not—"

"Em, I can't," Casey stopped her old best-friend before she spontaneously combusted or something. "I don't have the money for that." She didn't want to go into detail about having a child who came with expenses. She didn't want anybody to know about it.

"Then it's on me," Emily insisted. "Come on, you've got to. It's _Halloween_."

"Em—" Casey began to protest.

"I insist," Emily grinned, pulling Casey up from her bed, which she had been sitting on.

Casey sighed at Emily's persistence and then finally gave her a slow nod. "Alright, alright. Let me just use your bathroom quick first, 'kay?"

"Yup," Emily smirked, pleased with herself. "You remember where it is, right?"

Casey nodded and took her purse with her down the hall and into the bathroom, where she shut the door and whipped out her cell phone. Dialling the number she knew better than her own, she called up her closest friend in Vancouver.

"Hello?" Kylie answered on the second ring.

"Hey Ky," Casey immediately smiled at her friend's voice, feeling a twinge of homesickness. "How's Brianna?"

"A little angel, as always," Kylie replied. "Hey, Brianna, you wanna talk to Mama?"

Casey smiled as she heard a tentative, "Mama?"

"Hey, baby," Casey's homesickness only grew as she heard the voice of the most important person in her life. "You being a good girl?"

"Yeah," the childish voice replied indignantly.

"Alright, you listen to Auntie Kylie, okay?"

"'Kay."

"I love you, honey."

"Wuv you, Mama!"

Kylie came back on. "How's the family?"

"Good," Casey smiled. She was glad to see how excited her family got when she showed up.

But, of course, the old house reminded her of so many things. That's why she had to get out of there and went over to Emily's.

"Thanks again for taking Brianna for the long weekend, Ky," Casey said to her friend.

"Hey, it's no problem. Matthew loves her company." Matthew was Kylie's one year-old son, who seemed to look up to Brianna like an idol or something.

When Casey hung up from her phone call, she went back over to Emily's room.

"Ready?" Emily grinned, fluffing out her curly dark hair. Before Casey could even reply, Emily was rushing her down the stairs and into the car.

"We gotta make sure we get there before all that's left is like… ugly monster masks and witch hats," Emily wrinkled her nose at the mere thought as she started up her car.

Casey felt herself relax for the first time in a long time as she sat back on the ride to the mall she had practically spent all four years of her high school experience in—well, the times she wasn't in school or studying. Feeling like she was a teenager again, she lowered the window down, letting the air blow through her long chestnut hair, and turned on the radio.

… _when the conversation turns to you, _

_I get caught in the "you were the only one for me" kinda thought, _

_And your face is all that I see _

_I know I can't go back, but I still go back. _

_And there we are, parked down by the riverside _

_And I'm in your arms, about to make love for the first time _

_And that's all it takes, and I'm in that place _

_Everytime I hear your name…_

_Stop thinking about the words I left unsaid _

_(Everytime I hear your name) _

_Stop trying to change the things that I can change _

_(Everytime I hear your name) _

_In my heart I know you're gone, but in my head... _

_I feel rain falling right out of the blue sky _

_And it's the 5th of May, and I'm right there staring in your eyes. _

_That's all it takes, and I'm in that place…_

_And there we are, parked down by the riverside _

_And I'm in your arms, about to make love for the first time. _

_And I can't explain, but I'm in that place _

_Everytime I hear your name_

_Everytime I hear your name _

_Everytime I hear your name…_

Casey's sudden burst of childish glee suddenly darkened as her thoughts turned back to Derek. She knew she would have to see him again someday, sooner or later.

But, for now, all Casey could hope for was _later_. The later, the better.

She didn't think she could deal with seeing those teasing brown eyes and that taunting smirk.

Which Brianna had inherited both of.

"Case… you okay?" Emily's voice pulled her out of her thoughts as she put the car into park. "We're at the mall…"

Casey tried her best to put on a fake smile, unbuckling her seatbelt. "Let's do some shopping!"


	5. Elle Me Controle

**Author's Note: **_Translation to this chapter's title is "She controls me." I wasn't going to post this chapter so soon but I just really felt the need to for some reason -shrugs- Ah well, I hope you enjoy it! Please let me know by giving me some feedback, I really really enjoy reading each and every review! Oh and don't forget everyone, the new season of **Life With Derek** starts today, July 1st! _

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Derek shifted in his tights unhappily. He was miserable with this dumb costume on. But Amy was beaming, talking animatedly with his family as some neighbours showed up for the party. Edwin, who was dressed as a spy, shook his head in disdain at his older brother. 

Clearly, Derek was whipped by his girlfriend. And it was a damn shame.

Derek drummed his fingers against his glass of cool "monster punch" that Marti and Nora had made as he anxiously awaited the moment he had been waiting for for the past three years.

The moment he would lay eyes on one Casey MacDonald again.

He watched Marti the Fairy and Lizzie (who was dressed as a witch for the umpteenth year in a row) begin dancing to the _Monster Mash_ as George finally walked through the door.

"Sorry I'm late, I had to finish up this big case," George apologized to his wife, kissing her quickly before noticing Derek.

"Der, my boy!" George exclaimed, coming over to him. Derek smiled, happier to see his father than he thought he would be, and gave him a hug.

"Hey, Dad."

"Did you bring Amy?"

"Yeah," Derek nodded, gesturing over to where Amy was now dancing with the girls.

"She's a nice catch, son," George winked, and then headed upstairs to go change out of his work clothes, leaving Derek to his thoughts.

He looked over at Amy. She was beautiful and sweet, and had a lot going for her. And she really liked his family a lot. Maybe it was stupid that he was so hung-up on his stepsister, who he had only slept with once and hadn't seen in three years. Maybe it was finally time to let her go once and for all.

Just as he was making the decision to do just that, the front door opened again and suddenly he couldn't breathe. There was Casey, right there in the flesh. Still gorgeous, she looked the same, aside from tired, weary eyes and a slightly thinner frame. Her beauty just seemed to stop his heart.

Her skin, a little bit less tan than he remembered, was still flawless and smooth-looking. Dressed as the princess she was, in a form-fitting pink gown, she looked breathtaking. Her collarbones protruded a bit from obvious weight lost, but her breasts, squished in a pink corset, looked just as full and round as he remembered. Her waist was thin and the fabric of her dress hid her long legs from view, but it was okay because Derek knew exactly what they looked like. Her body was forever imprinted into his brain from that night. That night, so long ago… that all of the sudden seemed like only yesterday.

Her hair was cut just a bit shorter, but still sleek and shiny, causing his fingers to itch with the desire to run his fingers through it. Her blue eyes were smiling as she looked on at her sister and stepsister dancing, and Derek knew he hadn't noticed him yet.

He stood up, and Casey's eyes finally fell on him.

All colour drained from Casey's face instantly, and she had to reach out and grab the wall next to her to steady herself as her legs became weak. Shock travelled through her, and he could practically see her body freeze. She looked as if she was about to faint.

"Casey," he tried to call to her, but his voice only came out as a whisper.

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Nora, who hadn't noticed her daughter's reaction, asked her offhandedly if she wanted a glass of "monster punch." 

It took all Casey had to tear her eyes from her stepbrother across the room. She could hear her heart beating in her ears and her stomach had dropped to her knees. She just stared at her mother as if Nora had been speaking in another language to her.

Nora looked at her expectantly.

"Um…uh…no…" Casey finally managed to get out, and when her mother seemed satisfied with that answer, Casey looked back over at Derek.

He was advancing.

Not seeing a way out of this, Casey gathered up everything she had as he approached her.

"Hi," he finally said softly as he reached her.

Casey could only blink in response. "Hi?" she repeated, as if stumped by that.

"I, uh—" Derek began, but he was cut off by an arm moving around his waist.

"Derek, honey, come dance with me and the girls," Amy's voice sounded and Derek dumbly looked down at his girlfriend, who smiled lovingly back up at him. She then looked over at Casey. "Who's this?"

"This is, um…" Derek swallowed, his eyes moving back to Casey.

She looked completely stricken.

"I'm just his stepsister," Casey said coolly, her expression changing to a more impassive one. But Derek could see the dark hurt deep in her blue eyes. "Excuse me," she said and brushed past them.

Derek watched her retreat and wanted so badly to stop her.

But all he could do was watch her hurry up the stairs, her long pink dress flowing gracefully behind her.

"Smerek!" Marti called him by the name she called him as a young child. "Come on and dance!" Derek heard his little sister somewhere in the back of his mind.

But all he could do was stand there as Nora turned up the Halloween music.

_I put a spell on you  
'cause you're mine _

You better stop the things you do  
I ain't lyin'  
No I ain't lyin'

You know I can't stand it  
You're runnin' around  
You know better daddy  
I can't stand it cause you put me down

I put a spell on you  
Because you're mine  
You're mine

I love ya  
I love you  
I love you  
I love you anyhow  
And I don't care  
If you don't want me  
I'm yours right now

You hear me  
I put a spell on you  
Because you're mine…


	6. Lonely

**Author's Note:** _Hehe did everyone catch the new LWD episode tonight? I thought it was so funny... oh my gosh can you believe how old Marti, Lizzie, and Edwin all got? I couldn't believe it! I especially loved the blooper at the end of the episode during the credits with Ashley and Michael dancing and Ashley going "I'm sorry, but will you **look** at this kid!" lol that had my sister and I cracking up ;-p Ew to the Sam/Casey and Emily/Derek crap though. Blech. Of course it's because I'm hoping for some Dasey-ness ;-) Ah well, we can dream, right? Anyway, thanks for the reviews, please keep 'em coming, they encourage me to write faster! _

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"He has a girlfriend," Casey stated glumly as she wiped a tear off of her cheek as she cried in the bathroom. "Of course he does, Casey. What did you think, he was going to wait for you? It's been three years. You're pathetic." She glared at her reflection before splashing some cold water on her face. 

She wasn't expecting him to be there. When she saw him, she felt all of the oxygen leave her. She couldn't believe he was really there. Just metres away from her. Granted, he was dressed up like some kind of elf or something, but still… it was him.

In the flesh.

He looked the same, only older. More mature. Taller and more muscular. His hair had darkened a little bit, but his face was the same. The intense look on his face made her shiver all the way down to her toes.

His girlfriend was beautiful. Blonde and flawless and perfect, just as she imagined her to be. Of course, she had secretly hoped that he didn't really have a girlfriend. Which was stupid, because it was quite clear that Derek was a hottie. In those three years he had only gotten cuter.

Casey tried to conceal her red eyes and leaking nose with the make-up she had in her purse. She wasn't going to let Derek—or his girlfriend, for that matter—get to her. It had been a long time ago. They never really had anything, anyway. She had to just get over it. Derek had his own life, just as Casey did. Two separate lives, miles and miles apart from each other.

Feeling better after her pep-talk with herself, Casey straightened herself up and confidently opened the door to exit the bathroom.

She didn't expect Derek to be there. She let out a gasp when she saw him standing there, waiting for her.

"Derek…" she breathed, surprised that he had come after her.

Derek visibly swallowed, and then gave a lop-sided grin. "I've missed ya, sis."

Casey let out a shaky breath at his teasing voice, glad that he was making this easy on her by lightening the mood. "I've missed you, too," she smiled gently. _If only he knew how much…_

Derek was good at making things seem less serious, so the two of them engaged in a very light and casual conversation. It was nice. Casey was glad and began to feel a bit more at ease.

"So, how's university?" Derek asked casually, and Casey's muscles instantly tightened.

"Fine," she let out slowly. She didn't want anybody to know she had dropped out when she found out that she was pregnant.

Derek gave her an odd look, somehow able to see that she wasn't being honest. But he let it go, to her relief.

"Derek! Casey! Are you upstairs!" Nora shouted up to them.

"Yeah, Mom!" Casey responded.

"Come down and have some 'Zombie Brains'!" Nora called back.

Derek looked over at Casey and they shared an amused smile.

"Shall we?" Derek asked.

"I guess so," Casey smiled back, and the two of them went downstairs together. Like stepbrother and stepsister.

* * *

Casey hated to admit it, but she actually kind of liked Amy. She was a nice girl, who was bright, unlike the girlfriends from Derek's high school years. She was double majoring in English and education, and hoped to one day be a teacher for grade six. 

"You must love kids," Casey smiled.

"I do," Amy nodded enthusiastically. She then grinned over at Derek, who was by her side. "Derek and I hope to have a whole bunch of them, don't we sweetie?"

Derek just coughed in response awkwardly, but nobody felt as uncomfortable as Casey did at that exact moment.

"Uh, excuse me," Casey excused herself and quickly left so she could avoid anymore of the current discussion. About children. With Derek. Derek's children.

"If he only knew," Casey mumbled to herself as she walked over to go chat with Lizzie.

But he wasn't going to know. Not if she could help it.

Hopefully, nobody would find out.

"So, do you have a boyfriend, Casey?" Amy asked as they all sat around later that night after the kids went to bed.

"Uh, no," Casey said uneasily, a faint blush touching her cheeks. Sure, guys had asked her out. And tried to get her into their bed. She did work full-time at a diner. But she never accepted. They were usually creepy guys, anyway.

"_Oh_," Amy made an 'isn't that a shame' kind of sound. "But you're such a pretty girl, Casey."

"Thanks," Casey responded politely, her cheeks still heated. To draw attention off of her, she busied herself with taking a sip of the tea Nora had made them. She looked over at the clock, seeing how late it actually was. "I'll be right back," she excused herself and hurried upstairs into the bathroom.

She called Kylie and was surprised to learn that Brianna was still up, even with the few hours time difference.

"What are you still doing up, baby?" she asked.

"Don't want go bed," Brianna responded indignantly, and a smile touched Casey's lips. She missed her little girl.

"Okay, but I want you to go to bed soon, okay? Just stay up for a little while longer. And call me in the morning when you wake up, okay sweetie?"

"'Kay."

"Love you."

"Wuv you Mama."

She hung up feeling a tiny ache in her heart that her daughter was all the way across the country.

Suddenly overcome with exhaustion, and went back downstairs only to tell the others that she was going to bed.

"Alright, honey," Nora kissed her eldest daughter's forehead. "I'm glad to have you home with us," she whispered.

Casey looked over at Derek, who was talking quietly with Amy. She brushed her feelings away and half-heartedly replied, "Me too."


	7. I Can See It In Your Eyes

**Author's Note: **_I wasn't going to post this chapter so soon but I wanted to in return for the great feedback I've received... I really appreciate it, everyone! Okay, it's time for some Dasey yumminess... so this chapter is **rated "M" for mature**. Not very explicit, but still. Just a warning in case! Please let me know what you think and I will try posting the next chapter as soon as possible. Enjoy!_

* * *

Derek kissed Amy goodnight. She was taking the guest room, while he was taking his old bedroom. Nora and his dad didn't think it would be appropriate for the two to share a bedroom, even if they did live together in Montreal. Derek didn't really mind, though. He missed his old bedroom and wanted a bit of space from Amy. Because of what he was feeling. 

Casey had made everything complicated yet again. She had to come back into his life, looking all tempting and beautiful and bringing back all those memories. Memories of her naked body and their first time together. He could hear her moaning his name, gasping it out in pleasure. It was like only yesterday… even if it was three years ago.

He stripped down to his boxers after brushing his teeth and got into his old bed. The bed that held that same memory of him and Casey, the night before they went their separate ways.

He remembered the creaking sound the bed made as he thrust in and out of her. The way he lazily pulled the blankets around them when they were spent.

Those same blankets he was wrapped in right now.

She had told Amy that she didn't have a boyfriend. He wondered, in that cocky way of his, if that might have anything to do with him…

And suddenly he was standing. He had to know. His feet moved him next door, just like it used to be, and he softly knocked on the door, hoping that she was still up.

"Casey?" he asked.

"Yeah?" he heard a light flick on and footsteps padding over to the door. She opened the door and stared up at Derek, surprised to see that he was there.

"Did I wake you?" he asked, taking note of her pajamas. They were those duck pajamas. The dorky ones that haunted his dreams nearly every night.

"No…" she responded, trailing off as she looked at his expression. She glanced down to see what he was looking at and then stopped. They were _the_ pajamas. The pajamas from that night. She must have put them on subconsciously.

Derek noted the way she froze and realized she hadn't actually meant to put those pajamas on. Before he knew what he was doing, he was reaching out for her. Gently, he stroked her cheek, and felt her tremble under his touch. She didn't dare look up and meet his eyes.

"Casey… I really did miss you," he began, his voice now a soft whisper. "You just… left. Without a goodbye or anything."

Casey slowly looked up to see the hurt in his eyes. She leaned into his touch. "I'm sorry," she whispered back honestly. "I was just… confused."

"I know," Derek could understand that. Hell, this whole thing was confusing. "I still think about that night. Every day," he admitted quietly, looking deep into her blue eyes.

Casey was shocked by this admittance. As she slowly regained herself, she replied almost inaudibly, "Me too…" It wasn't like she COULD forget, even if she wanted to.

Brianna was her constant reminder.

Caught up in the feeling of being in such close proximity of the girl he dreamt about every night, Derek bent his head down, and Casey's heart stopped as she felt his warm breath on her face. He was coming in closer and closer, zoning in on her pink, parted lips.

_Oh my God, he's going to kiss me_.

She knew, with every fibre of her being, that she should stop him.

But she didn't.

And his lips slid so carefully, so _perfectly_ over hers.

Derek felt her respond and instantly deepened the kiss, letting out all of the passion he felt for her. She did the same in return. And it was the most amazingly intense kiss he had ever had.

Suddenly the two were moving towards the bed, their bodies desperate for each other. Derek pulled Casey's top off and immediately attacked her neck. She gasped and arched her back, allowing him better access to her skin.

"_Oh…Derek_…" Casey moaned as she ran her hands over his newly-toned bare torso.

"_Casey_…" he responded just as breathlessly, pressing hot kisses all over her body while he pulled off her pajama pants. He began sprinkling her stomach area with tiny kisses and teasing nips. She let out a gasp as he moved lower, sliding her panties off and licking the newly-exposed skin. His experienced tongue sent her into shivers and she writhed in immense pleasure.

Casey knew that this was wrong. Derek had a girlfriend. Casey had a daughter—well, _they_ had a daughter, together—not that Derek knew anything about Brianna. Plus, add on the fact that they hadn't seen each other and three years. And were stepsiblings.

It was just all-around wrong. And yet it felt so right.

Derek could hardly wait to be inside Casey again. Seeing her naked again alone nearly sent him over the edge. And once he actually entered her, he closed his eyes and let out a guttural moan.

It felt like he was home. Only she could make him feel that way.

"I missed you so much," Derek gasped out between thrusts. Casey only clutched Derek tighter to her, pressing their bare torsos together in a beautifully stimulating way.

They were starved for each other.

She bit her lip to control her urges to moan and sigh and scream out how good it felt to be one with Derek Venturi again. She wrapped her bare legs tightly around him as they moved together in synchrony.

"…wanted you every day for the past three years," she heard Derek mumbled against her skin as he nipped at her neck. "Before then, too…"

Casey could only moan to acknowledge him, and buried one hand into his sweat-matted hair. She wanted to tell him everything right then and there. About Brianna. About their daughter. But no words came out of her mouth, only moans.

Derek's hands came down between them and teased Casey to the point where she bit his shoulder to stop herself from screaming. All he could do was grin and try to imprint the feeling and image of her writhing against him forever in his mind. He heard his name on her lips and slammed himself deeper inside her. He hadn't felt this incredible in years.

Over three years, to be more exact.

They came together in one moment where they had to swallow each other's cries of ecstasy, and Derek released Casey only after she was done spasming. He slid out of her and folded his arms around her. She instantly curled up against him, and the two of them fell asleep with glowing smiles on their faces, satiated for the first time in so long.

* * *

Casey woke up to the annoying sound of ringing. Opening one blurry blue eye, she fumbled for the cell phone she had placed on the nightstand. The clock read 9:03 AM. 

"Hello?" Casey's hoarse voice asked.

Derek woke up but didn't move, too comfortable still wrapped around Casey's naked body. He listened to her say, "Oh, hi, baby."

That made Derek stop. _Wait… she has a boyfriend? I thought she said she didn't. Maybe she was just lying to us…_

"Oh did you? That's great. Okay. I'll call you later. Bye, honey, love you," she mumbled into the phone in a low voice.

But Derek still heard her.

She curled back up with Derek and fell back to sleep instantly. He felt jealousy shoot through him. And some anger. Logically, he knew that he had actually just cheated on his girlfriend, too. So he was no better than she was.

_But still… why would she lie about the whole boyfriend thing?_

Feeling both guilt and regret from his actions, he pulled his clothes back on and quietly left the room, this time leaving _Casey_ alone to deal with the aftermath.


	8. How Am I Supposed To Feel

**Author's Note: **_I wasn't going to update for a bit, but here's a new, albeit short, chapter! Hope you all enjoy it and thanks SO much for the reviews, I really appreciate them and love reading every single one!_

* * *

Casey woke up extremely late, able for the first time since Brianna was born to actually sleep in. Yawning happily, she rolled over to be surprised by an empty spot next to her.

Derek had gone. She should have known.

Slipping her clothes back on, she rubbed her eyes and hesitantly padded her way down the stairs to find the whole family eating a huge Saturday brunch.

"Casey," Nora smiled at her daughter, but Casey didn't smile back. All she could see was the way Amy was practically sitting on Derek's lap, and the way that Derek didn't even acknowledge Casey when she came into the room. Even now, he was just staring at his plate, intently moving his food around with his fork as if it were some intricate project.

Casey tried not to let her feelings show, swallowing the hurt from Derek's obvious rejection.

She really should have known that it didn't mean anything. That everything he had told her last night had been a lie.

Pursing her lips together, Casey sat down next to Lizzie and began filling her plate with Nora's over-the-top brunch. Marti began talking animatedly to her about some school project she and her classmates were working on, but Casey only pretended to be listening. Instead her eyes could only stare jealously at the couple across the table from her. Amy was whispering into Derek's ear, stroking his arm gently, and Derek smiled, chuckling at her words. It was clear that he was happy with Amy.

Suddenly Casey wasn't so hungry anymore, and she pushed her plate away from her almost in offence. "I'm, uh, not feeling so well," she said quietly, standing back up again and not meeting anyone in the eye as she mumbled her lie. "I think I'm going to head upstairs and lie down for a bit."

Nora looked concerned, offering Casey a painkiller, but Casey shook her head. No painkiller wouldn't kill the type of pain she was feeling right then and there.

She retreated upstairs, back to her old bedroom, and hurriedly dialled in Kylie's number.

"Hi, Ky, how's Brianna?" she asked automatically when Kylie finally answered the phone.

"Casey? What's wrong?" Kylie asked, able to tell right away that something had upset her friend.

"Nothing… I'll tell you when I get back," she said dismissively. "I, uh, think I'm going to try to catch an earlier flight." Casey knew that it was stupid—that she would just be running away from her problems all over again.

But it was easier to run than to face him—to face _them_.

"Hi, sweetheart," Casey said when Kylie put Brianna on the phone.

"Hi Mama!" Brianna exclaimed in her sweet, innocent voice and suddenly Casey's heart broke all over again. Into a million tiny pieces.

"Mama's coming home soon, baby," Casey wiped a falling tear from her eye as she came to a quick decision. "I'm coming home."

* * *

Derek took Amy to the mall that day because she wanted to. And because he didn't want to be inside the house with Casey and all of his confusing feelings.

Everytime he looked at his pretty girlfriend, he felt guilty. Guilty because he had cheated on her with his own stepsister just hours ago. And even guiltier because he had enjoyed it so much. Having sex with Casey was nothing like it was with Amy. Casey just… blew his mind. And he knew it was because of how he felt for her. Pure love—a love like know other. A hidden, forbidden love that was buried deep down inside of him and wanting so desperately to come out. And that love had come out last night.

But Casey had lied to him about not having someone back in Vancouver. And that hurt him more than he figured that it should. It wasn't just the fact that she had lied to him and her whole family about it—but the fact that there was someone out there whom Casey's heart actually belonged to. Who touched her in a way that Derek only had. And this possessiveness that came over him at the thought of someone else inside of her, trying to love her like only he loved her, scared Derek. It made him crazy.

So he knew that he had to let her go, completely and totally. That's why he had left that morning and crept into the guestroom and made love with Amy. To rid his mind of Casey once and for all.

He had seen the hurt on her face when he ignored her that morning. But he didn't think that she would actually leave because of it.

When he came back to the Venturi-MacDonald household, George told him that Nora and Lizzie had gone to drop Casey off at the airport. She had gotten an earlier flight back to Vancouver.

But that didn't give him any relief, knowing that she was gone again, probably for good this time. No, it just made him feel worse.

And when he only half-heartedly had sex with his girlfriend that night, Derek finally realised what he had to do.

As soon as Amy was asleep, he scribbled down a note of apology and shoved a few things into his duffel bag before calling a taxi up to come get him.

"The airport please," he said to the driver when the taxi pulled up in front of the Venturi-MacDonald house.


	9. Poise & Rationality

**Author's Note:**_Well, a couple of notes actually! First, happy 4th of July! Second, I had to post this so quickly because of all of the great reviews I got! I couldn't leave you hanging ;-) Third, the song I used in this is 'The Beach' by The Racket, who is actually Ashley Leggat (Casey)'s favourite band :-) They're a really great band from Hamilton, Ontario, and you should check them out! And lastly, I wanted to tell you all that I'm reading a book and in it the stepbrother and stepsister actually fall in love and get married! It's called **Henry and Clara** by Thomas Mallon. The stepsibling marriage thing is actually a sub-plot though; the main plot is how they witnessed the assassination of Abe Lincoln. Random, I know. BUT I had to bring it up because of the stebrother/stepsister thing ;-) Okay, that's enough of my rambling. Enjoy this (long!) chapter and please review!_

* * *

Casey closed the window as it audibly started to rain outside. She had just gotten Brianna to bed, revved up on sugary snacks that Kylie had allowed her to eat. Over-tired herself, Casey turned the news on to a low volume as she picked up Brianna's scattered toys around the small living room of her apartment. 

It was an extremely small apartment, with just one bedroom shared by the two, a tiny living room, a bathroom, and a kitchenette. But it was all that Casey could afford with her waitressing salary and the few cheques she got per year from her mom and George for "school books and exam-time snacks."

Casey worked long shifts at the local diner in order to pay the bills and raise her daughter by herself. Her friend and next-door neighbour Kylie helped out a lot by babysitting Brianna whenever Casey had to work, which she appreciated immensely.

Kylie was a sweet, young girl of only eighteen who had made some bad choices in her life. She had gotten her act together when she had her son Matthew, and now had a job tutoring high school-aged kids at her apartment on weekdays. That, along with child support from Matthew's low-life father, allowed Kylie and Matthew to survive.

Just like she and Brianna, Kylie and Matthew were simply surviving.

Thoughts of Derek suddenly filled Casey's head, and she turned up the news in hopes to tune it out. She didn't want to think about Derek, and what they had done last night.

How he had held her like he never wanted to let her go, and how he made her whole body tremble with just one touch. How good his lips felt on her skin, kissing a pathway down her chest, teasing her to the brink of ecstasy as he moved slowly inside of her.

He was gentle but rough, forceful yet compliant. Perfect in every way.

"Damn it!" Casey cursed out loud, throwing one of Brianna's stuffed animals across the room. _I have to stop thinking about him! This is stupid, Casey. Get it together!_ She shook the sense back into her and sat down on the ratty sofa she had gotten last year at a garage sale.

She heard her cell phone ring and picked it up from the floor, where she had dropped her purse when she came in a few hours ago.

"Hello?" she asked, muting the small television set.

"So, are you going to tell me what happened?" Kylie demanded in her ear and Casey allowed herself a little smile. Kylie loved a good juicy story. She was one of those people who would always know the latest news about every celebrity couple in Hollywood and every secret scandal in the entertainment business. Basically, she was a gossip. But Casey found that part of her endearing.

She reminded her a lot of Emily in that way.

"Well… you know my stepbrother? Derek?"

"Brianna's father?"

Casey winced a bit at that. "…yes."

"He was there!"

"Yes."

"Oh my GOD!" Kylie practically burst Casey's eardrum. "You're kidding!"

"Hardly," Casey sighed.

"So…what happened? Did you tell him about Brianna?"

"No," Casey leaned back on the couch. "But… he brought his girlfriend over."

"_Ohhh_…." Kylie was really getting into the story, Casey could tell. "What'd she look like?"

"Flawless," Casey replied bitterly.

"And how did Derek look?"

"Hot," Casey admitted softly.

Kylie giggled. "So… did fireworks go off or what?"

"Not so much," Casey bit her lip. "But… something did happen."

"What?"

"We… kinda had sex."

"_What_!" a stunned Kylie exclaimed.

"Yeah…" Casey trailed off awkwardly.

"And?" Kylie pressed. Of course she wanted to know details.

"It was just as amazing as I remembered," Casey sighed truthfully. "But then, the next day… he was back with Amy. He wouldn't even look at me."

"Pig!" Kylie expressed her anger towards the male race loudly.

"Yeah," Casey agreed sadly. She couldn't believe she had been so stupid to believe that he would just dump his gorgeous girlfriend in the blink of an eye over her, his stepsister, Plain Jane Casey.

"So… you didn't tell him about Brianna, then?" Kylie interrupted Casey's thoughts.

"Oh no. I couldn't. Especially not after that," Casey shook her head to herself. "I don't need him anyway. Brianna and I are doing just fine."

"I'm sorry things didn't work out, Casey," Kylie said sympathetically. "I know how much you love Derek."

"_Love_?" Casey blurted. "No, no, I'm so over him. Long over him."

"Sure you are, hun," Kylie said in an "I-don't-believe-you-at-all" kind of way.

Casey didn't respond to that, and her mouth opened up into a yawn. "I'm gonna go try to catch a few hours of sleep."

"Alright. You still have the day off tomorrow, right?" Kylie asked.

"Yup. Maybe we can get together for lunch?"

"Sure. 'Night, Casey."

"'Night, Ky." Casey hung up the phone and her eyes started getting heavier. She closed them for a moment, and began drifting off to sleep. She had only nodded off for a few moments when she heard a knock on the door.

Opening one blue eye dazedly, Casey looked over at the clock. _Who would be coming over to my apartment at this late hour_?

Thinking it might be Kylie, Casey crossed the room and opened the door without another thought.

And her mouth dropped when she saw the last person she would ever expect to find standing there, drenched from the rain.

_Derek_.

* * *

Derek couldn't believe that he had actually found her. He stared at his stepsister in disbelief. 

"Derek, what are you doing here?" Casey breathed, obviously in shock.

"I…" Derek trailed off. "I…don't know."

Casey didn't look quite so impressed with that answer.

"Can I, uh, come in?" he asked awkwardly, shoving his hands into his pockets as he looked past her at the small apartment she was living in. It looked like a dump. A run-down hole-in-the-wall dump.

Casey suddenly looked panicked. "Uh, no," she said quickly, trying to block his view of her place.

Derek just stared down at her, blinking. She was so beautiful. And he had come all this way.

_Why couldn't he tell her_?

"Casey… what you saw today…"

"Derek, I don't want to talk about this," Casey cut him off. "I'm tired. It's been a long day. I don't know why you're here, and apparently you don't either. So maybe you should just go home. Goodbye." And with that, she shut the door right in his face.

But Derek didn't flinch, as if he was expecting that.

"I'm sorry," he mumbled to her through the door before turning around and exiting the building once again. He ran through the parking lot in the cold rain and got back into the car he had rented. He didn't have a hotel, and was too tired to begin searching. So he turned on the heat of the car for warmth and leaned back in his seat, getting as comfortable as possible in the small Honda.

His mind immediately filled with an image of Casey, and so he turned on the radio to try and concentrate on something—_anything_—but her.

_I drove all night I don't believe it_

_The things you say they have no meaning_

_Tank is full, I broke my rear-view_

_Am I coming home_

_I don't have a home_

_So I hit the beach_

_And I ran a mile_

_Things were just in reach_

_My mind was blank but_

_I couldn't breathe no more_

_But I took a step_

_As I hit the floor_

_I think the ocean wept_

_And I could feel the sun down on me_

_I felt them waves come crash around me_

_I looked up and I seen clearly_

_Am I coming home_

_I don't have a home_

_I went up to your place_

_My clothes were soaking wet_

_I looked into your face_

_How could I forget_

_That I was happy then _

_The way you cared for me_

_That we were more than friends_

_Things will never be again_

_And it can't be true_

_That I left for someone new_

_It's a choice I don't believe_

_I've done to you what she's done to me_

_I know you don't want to see me_

_That you don't wanna hear my story_

_But believe me when I say I'm sorry_

_You're not coming home_

_You were my only home_

_So you shut the door_

_But that's what I would do_

_I don't deserve no more_

_Then what I've done to you_

_So I'll be on my way…_

The words of the song stung Derek like a slap to the face. And before he had a chance to actually think his next move through, he was bounding out of the car and sprinting across the parking lot yet again. He ran over to her apartment and this time knocked with driven intent.

It took Casey a few minutes to answer the door, and honestly she wasn't that surprised to see Derek. But she was a bit taken aback by the look of determination across his face.

"Casey, I have to…" Derek trailed off at the sound of small feet running towards them.

"Mama, who dat?" a toddler awkwardly dressed in little pink feety-pajamas latched onto Casey's leg and stared up at Derek as she stuck her small thumb into her mouth.

And Derek lost all of his breath as he looked into his own wide brown eyes staring back up at him.


	10. Broken

**Author's Note: **_-Nicole collapses- Oh my gosh guys, thank you so much for all the wonderful reviews! They're just the kind of encouragement I need. I'm exhausted from work and have a headache but I'm still posting this next chapter just because you all are so wonderful! So thanks SO much and I really hope you enjoy this! You all rock!_

* * *

Casey whirled around at her daughter in nervous horror. _Oh shit. He's definitely going to know now… she looks just like him._

"Honey, what are you doing up?" Casey asked quickly, gathering Brianna up into her arms as if shielding her from Derek's sight. Like he hadn't already seen her. "It's very late; you should be in bed."

"Heared talking," Brianna mumbled into Casey's shoulder, which her face was smooshed against. Casey finally met Derek's eyes as she cradled her toddler. His eyes were wide and his mouth was gaping open in shock and realisation. No words were coming out of his mouth, and his whole body looked completely stiff.

It was obvious that he had figured out her secret.

"Come on, sweetie," Casey looked away from Derek nervously as she patted Brianna's tangled medium-brown hair. The same shade as Derek's. "Back to bed." She bolted out of the room as quickly as possible.

"Don't want bed," Brianna protested sleepily, her eyes falling shut even as she spoke.

"Alright, baby," Casey gave a small smile at her daughter despite the situation surrounding her.

The one thing she had been dreading ever since she found out she was pregnant.

_She nervously lifted the small stick out of the box after reading the instructions. It all seemed so simple, this one little test that would determine her future. All she had to do was pee on the stick and then wait five minutes. Two lines meant positive, one line meant negative. Two lines with child, one line without. Two lines would mean that she was carrying her stepbrother's illegitimate child, and one would mean she wasn't. That the nausea and weight gain was all in her head. _

_She knew what the outcome would be before she even took the test. But somewhere there was a little bit of hope left in her that she was wrong. That the test would be negative. That it was just a scare that she would chuckle about someday._

_The five minutes she had to wait were the longest minutes of her life. She was locked in a tiny cubicle in the large bathroom of her dormitory's second floor. The bathroom used the least, so she could have as much privacy as possible in a place where time to yourself was virtually impossible. _

_She stared down at the watch on her wrist. Every second felt like an eternity. It seemed like her life was suddenly in slow motion as she waited to see if her life would be forever changed._

_As the seconds continued slowly ticking on, she began feeling claustrophobic and her breathing shallowed to the point where she felt like she was going to pass out._

"_Stop being so dramatic, Casey," she snapped aloud to herself and tried to focus on simply breathing. She closed her eyes and tried to get herself back into control._

_When she opened them again, her eyes immediately focused down on her watch. The five minutes were up._

_Biting her lip nervously, she grabbed the stick. And let out a little cry as she found out her fate. And she burst into tears._

_Two lines. _

_She was pregnant._

Casey remembered that she had never been so scared in her life as she was at that moment. And from that second on, she prayed that Derek wouldn't find out that he was actually a father. Because she knew that he wouldn't want his little daughter.

Just like he didn't want Casey.

Why would a playboy partier like him ever want a child so young?

And so she had kept her little Brianna a secret.

Now, that secret had been revealed to the one person she didn't want it to be revealed to. And he was standing there in shock right in her tiny apartment, probably awaiting an explanation.

Casey wanted to hide. Or runaway. But there was nowhere to go, and Derek was blocking her only exit.

Gathering all of her courage, she exited the bedroom slowly and moved back into the small living room. Derek was on the couch, his head in his hands. He looked up when Casey padded into the room, and her cheeks heated at the pained look on his face. He looked as if he had been kicked in the stomach and had all the wind knocked out of him.

"Case…" Derek began hoarsely, as if his whole world had been turned upside-down in a matter of seconds. Which it kind of had. "Why… why didn't you tell me?"

Casey opened her mouth and closed it again, not exactly knowing how to begin. Carefully, she said, "I didn't know how."

Derek looked so completely serious and so unlike himself that Casey could only stare at him, never seeing him this way before.

"I… I have a daughter?" he asked weakly, as if trying to process this major turn of events into his brain. Casey could practically see his mind trying to compute this concept.

Casey nodded slowly. "Her...her name's Brianna."

All at once, Derek's confused, shocked face turned angry. His eyes moved to hers and he glared at her with utter rage. "You're telling me that I have a what… _two year-old daughter_ that you've been hiding from me this _entire time_!" he burst out.

Casey was taken aback by his sudden 180. "Derek, I…"

"And just WHEN were you planning on telling me this, Casey! When she needed braces? When she needed some money for university? At her _wedding_!" his face grew red as he spat out those words. "_Goddamnit, Casey_!"

Suddenly he stopped. In a much lower voice, he realized, "You were never going to tell me, were you?"

Casey looked away from him at that. That was all Derek needed.

"You cold, heartless bitch," he stated in pure disgust as he stood up.

And he slammed the door as he left.

And Casey immediately crumpled down onto the floor, bursting into tears for the first time since that moment she found out she was going to be a mother in that small dormitory bathroom what seemed like so many years ago.


	11. It Had To Be You

**Author's Note: **_I'm glad you all are enjoying this! Please keep up with the feedback and let me know how I am doing because I'm a little nervous about this chapter... I hope I conveyed their emotions correctly! Yes, to show you how much I appreciate all the great reviews I've been getting, here is the next chapter! Enjoy!_

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Casey ran over to Kylie's apartment a blubbering mess. Kylie, half-asleep because it was so late, couldn't understand a word through Casey's sobs and ushered her into her apartment. 

"Casey, you've got to calm down," Kylie took Casey's hand and helped her sit down on a wooden chair.

Wiping away her tears, Casey nodded, trying to get control of herself.

"Derek…h-he f-found out about Br-Brianna," her lower lip trembled as she spoke. She shook her head, raising her hands to cover her face. "I c-can't believe I was such an idiot…"

Kylie hugged her friend tightly to her. "Shh… it's okay, Casey. It can't be that bad—"

"He HATES me!" Casey exclaimed, her red, swollen eyes meeting Kylie's. "He hates me and he'll never forgive me and it's all my fault." She buried her face in her hands again. "I shouldn't have hid Brianna from him."

Kylie sighed. "Casey, you did what you thought was best. You were young and scared. Believe me; I've been there."

"Yeah, well, at least you didn't runaway and hide Matthew from his father."

"Like his father cares about him," Kylie snorted bitterly. "But, I mean, if Derek seemed so upset about you hiding Brianna from him, it seems like he actually does care."

"What do you mean?" Casey sniffled, taking her hands away from her face again.

"I mean that my ex… he would have loved if I never told him about Matthew and didn't demand child support or anything like that. But Derek…. he's actually mad that you hid Brianna from him," she shrugged. "It just… seems like he cares about you a lot more than my ex ever did."

Casey was starting to understand what her closest friend was saying. "But… that still doesn't mean that what I did was right. Or that Derek will ever forgive me."

"If he loves you as much as I think he does, he will," Kylie gave a small smile.

Casey bit her lip. Did_ Derek really love her? Did he_ _want_ _Brianna?_ Either way, she owed him a big apology. If he would ever actually speak to her again.

"I've got to go find him," Casey said, standing up on wobbly legs. "Will you watch Brianna?"

"Of course," Kylie nodded, shooing Casey along. "Now _go_."

Casey gave her a quick hug before running off in determination. She grabbed her cell phone and a denim jacket from her apartment before hurrying out into the parking lot, dialling the number of a cab company on her way. She would search the whole city if she had to.

She didn't think Derek had gone too far, but she almost dropped her cell phone in surprise when she found that he was right there in the parking lot, sitting on the hood of his car and staring up at the stars.

"Derek…" she ran over to him, and he looked over at her with his eyes cold.

"I don't have anything to say to you," he told her angrily, sliding off of the hood and making his way back to the driver's seat.

"Wait!" Casey grabbed his hand, stopping him.

The two of them both looked down at her shaking fingers encasing his wrist.

"Please," Casey looked deep into Derek's tawny brown eyes pleadingly.

Derek had all intentions of ignoring her and getting into his car and driving as far away as possible from her and this whole messed up situation. But his feet remained planted on the asphalt of the parking lot. Setting his jaw, he glared at Casey and demanded, "What do you want from me, Casey? You hid my own _daughter _away from me for over two years. I haven't even seen you in three."

"I know, and I'm so—"

"What do you tell her when she asks about her daddy, Case?" he suddenly interrupted, his eyes still glaring. "Tell her that he's actually her uncle? That she was just a teenaged mistake?"

Casey's hand came up then and she slapped him harshly across the face. "Brianna. Is. Not. A. Mistake," she said through gritted teeth.

Derek just glared right back at her, unmoving as his cheek turned an angry red. "If you really want to know," Casey continued, her blue eyes dead-set on his. "I tell her that her daddy loves her but can't be with her. I tell her about how much I loved her daddy."

Derek tried not to let the surprise show on his face at this declaration.

"You and I both know that what we did that night wasn't a mistake," Casey's voice was now softer.

"It—it wasn't," Derek's voice came out gruffly, confirming her words. He looked deep into Casey's sad blue eyes and could feel himself melting. His tone was softer as he said, "I just… wish you had told me, Case."

"I know," a tear slid down Casey's cheek. "I'm so sorry, Derek. So, so sorry. And I'll understand if you can never forgive me, but I just—"

"It wasn't right what you did, Casey," Derek interrupted her. "But that doesn't mean I can't forgive you. It might take some time…" Derek gently brushed a tear off of Casey's face. "But I do love you, Case. I always have."

Casey's eyes widened at this.

"I've thought about you every day since you left," Derek told her softly, reaching out and stroking her soft chestnut hair.

"But Amy…"

Derek shook his head at the name. "No. It's always been you." He lifted her face and slowly brushed his lips against hers.

Casey felt like all of the weight of the world had been lifted off of her shoulders as Derek's lips pressed against hers. He finally knew about Brianna. And he still loved her.

He _loved_ her.

"I love you too, Derek," she whispered against his lips. She always had.

He gave her a gentle smile. "So… do I get to officially meet my daughter now?"

Casey smiled back at him, nodding quickly. "I think we can wake her up for something like this." She slid her hand in Derek's and he squeezed her hand tightly. As they walked back to the apartment, she felt his hand becoming clammy against hers. Looking at him, she saw that he was gnawing on his lower lip and his eyes were sort of jumpy.

He was nervous.

"What if she doesn't like me?" Derek asked suddenly as they stopped in front of Casey's door. "What if I'm… not what she expected?"

Casey let out a laugh at Derek's fears. He was so endearing. "Derek, she's _two_. You don't have to worry about impressing her."

Derek still didn't look any less edgy.

Casey opened the door to her apartment to find Kylie rocking a sleeping Matthew in her arms on the couch and Brianna on the floor, intently drawing a picture.

Kylie's eyes immediately looked Derek up and down. She was interested to finally see the infamous Derek Venturi in the flesh.

But Derek's eyes weren't on Kylie. They were glued to the little girl pumping her small legs into the air as she concentrated on scribbling with her crayons.

His daughter. His own little girl.

He gulped nervously. _Am I really ready for this?_


	12. Always & Forever

**Author's Note: **_I've decided that this is going to be the last chapter, just because I think it is a good ending. I can, however, be persuaded to write a sequel... through feedback... hint hint! ;-) Oh and just so you know, I would probably rate this chapter **'M' for mature** again. Happy reading and thanks for all the support!_

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"Brianna, honey," Casey kneeled down on the floor next to her scribbling daughter. "There's someone special I want you to meet." 

Brianna's wide dark eyes looked up at her mother and her eyes drifted curiously over at the strange man standing nervously at the doorway. "Hi," Brianna smiled in her upbeat, childish way, a shy smile on her small lips.

Derek could only stare at the perfect little girl. His and Casey's creation.

Seeing that Derek couldn't respond, Casey gave her daughter a careful smile, brushing one tiny pigtail behind her small ear. "Brianna, baby, remember how I've always told you about your daddy?"

"Daddy wuvs me," Brianna nodded solemnly.

Derek felt his lip wobble at that. He wasn't going to cry. He refused to cry.

"Yes," Casey felt tears prick her eyes, "your daddy does love you a whole bunch." She looked up at Derek then, and their eyes met. Derek gave an almost-imperceptible nod, his throat too dry to be able to speak, giving Casey the okay. He was ready.

"Sweetie, your daddy's here right now," Casey told her daughter gently. "He came to see you."

Brianna immediately turned back to Derek, her eyes getting big and hopeful. "Daddy?" she asked tentatively.

Derek nodded slowly, a faint smile sprouting on his face. "I'm your daddy, sweetheart," he said gently, his voice thick with emotion.

Giving a happy shout of glee, Brianna raced over to Derek and he immediately scooped her up into his arms. Her little arms wrapped around his neck tightly Derek finally gave in, letting the tears fall.

"_Oh God_," Derek let out a shuttered breath as he held his own daughter in his arms, instantly falling in love with the little tyke. He closed his eyes in thanks and when he opened them, he met Casey's leaking blue eyes. "Thank you," he mouthed to her.

All she could do was nod, watching her daughter embrace her father for the first time.

Even Kylie was teary-eyed.

"Wuv Daddy," Brianna told him as she hugged him.

"Daddy loves you too," Derek whispered weakly against Brianna soft brown hair, and he pressed a kiss to the crown of her beautiful little head, not letting her go. "So so much."

Brianna giggled and pulled her face away to look at her father. "Why crying?"

"Because I'm happy," Derek gave her a grin, kissing the tip of her tiny nose. A miniature Casey nose.

Kylie wiped the tears off of her face. "I'm gonna go and let you three enjoy this beautiful moment," she sniffled, sitting up with her sleeping son. "I'll talk to you later, Casey. It was nice to meet you, Derek."

"You too," Derek said absently, still too caught up in the feeling of having his own daughter in his arms.

She left, and Casey walked over to Derek and their daughter. Derek immediately wrapped one arm around her, pulling her in for a family hug. She saw Brianna's eyes droop where she had her head resting on Derek's shoulder, and gave a soft smile. "Looks like someone's up way past her bedtime."

"Daddy gonna stay?" Brianna asked sleepily.

Casey's eyes met Derek's. It was his choice if he wanted to stay the night.

"Daddy's gonna stay," Derek confirmed, kissing Brianna's hair again. She smelled so sweet, just like Casey. "Where's her room?" he looked over at Casey.

"We share," Casey's cheeks pinked. She didn't want Derek to know how broke she actually was. As if he couldn't tell from the state of her run-down apartment.

But Derek just nodded, and followed Casey over to the bedroom. Placing Brianna down on the bed, he tucked her in and pressed a kiss to the sleepy girl's forehead. He still couldn't believe that she was really his.

"I love you, Princess," he told her honestly, brushing her hair off of her face lovingly.

Casey bit her lip to stop herself from crying again at how tender Derek was with Brianna.

"Wuv you," Brianna answered tiredly, her eyes fluttering shut.

Derek gave her a gentle smile and reluctantly left the room to let her sleep. Casey followed, telling Brianna she loved her too before shutting the light off and closing the door behind her.

She found Derek sitting on the ratty old couch, his whole face looking dazed.

"It must be a lot to take in," she said quietly.

"You have no idea," he agreed, looking up at her. "Case, I want to stay with Brianna. With you," he said after a moment of silence, coming to a decision.

Casey gaped at him. "Derek… you can't. You have to finish school… you're almost finished! And what about Amy? You two have an _apartment_ together. And then there's—"

Derek stopped her by standing up and pressing a finger against her moving lips. "None of that matters to me," he said quietly. "You and Brianna are the only things that matter now."

Casey's lower lip trembled. "I don't want you to give up everything you have for this, Derek. You shouldn't feel obligated to--"

"Casey, I love you," Derek said insistently, as if trying to get that into her head. "I _love_ you. And Brianna. I don't want to be away from you any more." He took a deep, shuddered breath. "I _can't_ be away from you. Not now that I know I'm a father." He cupped her cheek gently. "Not with knowing how you feel about me."

Casey arched an eyebrow quirkily, a playful smile spreading across her face. "Oh? And how do I feel about you, Derek Venturi?" she asked teasingly, her arms sliding around him.

He gave a smug, teasing smile back. "You're absolutely crazy about me." He pulled her closer to him, and stared into her soft blue eyes as he said completely seriously, "Just like I am about you." And he captured her lips in a kiss full of love and reverence. A warmth moved over Casey like she hadn't felt in years.

"Mmm…couch…" she murmured as the kiss intensified.

Derek smiled against her lips and obediently pulled her over to the couch with him, and they collapsed onto it, her on top and him beneath her.

Casey began pulling off his shirt but Derek stopped her, breaking the kiss with sudden wide eyes.

"We can't do this here," he looked mortified.

Casey looked at him as if he was nuts. She wanted—scratch that—_needed_ him now, dammit. "And why not?" she demanded.

"Our daughter's in the room next to us," he said easily, trying to get himself under control beneath his sexy dream girl.

Casey let out a laugh. "Derek, hun, she's the heaviest sleepier I've ever seen. Trust me, it's okay." To coax him, she leaned down and began nibbling on his neck, rubbing her body erotically against his.

Derek hesitantly gave in, knowing he could never refuse a ready-to-go Casey. He helped her take off his shirt and pants, and hers followed.

"So…" Derek began as he unclasped her bra, releasing her breasts into his hands. "You've never been with anyone but me?"

"Nobody else," Casey affirmed, closing her eyes in pleasure as Derek began teasing her breasts.

"Good," Derek smirked in satisfaction while he attached his lips to her neck.

Casey stopped him. "Wait a minute… what about you and Amy?"

Derek's cheeks reddened at the thought of her. At how after he and Casey had made love the other night, he went over to Amy's room, pissed off because he had thought Casey had a boyfriend, and had sex with Amy. "I never really loved her, Case…. I thought I did but I didn't…. I don't… not like you," he said honestly, staring into her accusing blue eyes. He felt bad at what he had done.

But Casey gave him a gentle smile. "It's okay, Derek," she told him softly. He was with her right now. Her and Brianna. And that was all that mattered.

They rid themselves of what was left of their clothing and Derek immediately pushed himself inside of Casey.

_Home_, he thought to himself as he cradled her tightly to him.

Casey moaned loudly and moved on top of Derek, glad that he was letting her be in control. She grabbed his shoulders and thrust her hips against his over and over again, sending him deeper and deeper into her.

"_Oh God_… _Casey_…" Derek gasped out as she moved sensually on top of him. She leaned down to slide her lips over his and suddenly he blurted, "Marry me!"

Casey completely froze on top of him. "_What_?"

Derek winced, painfully close to his release. "Not… not now. Just…someday," he said, looking into her shocked eyes. "Marry me."

"Derek…" Casey looked hesitant.

"Please," Derek begged hoarsely, reaching up and brushing her curtain of dark hair away. "Someday. So we can become a family. And make Brianna a baby sister or brother or two," he gave her a gentle smile as he stroked her soft hair.

Casey bit her lip. This was completely unexpected. And yet, it didn't seem _that_ crazy. In fact, she couldn't imagine marrying anybody else. "Okay…" she breathed finally, and a huge smile spread over Derek's face. "_Someday_, though. Not now. We're still too young."

"Deal," Derek said happily, and pulled her head down to his to give her a long, passionate kiss. Casey was his.

"Now, let's finish what we started," he murmured huskily, flipping them over so now Casey was on her back and he was above her.

Casey giggled until she felt Derek begin thrusting deep into her and felt his hand move up to massage her left breast. Her giggling instantly dissolved and groans replaced the giggles.

"I love you, Case," Derek told her, his hand slipping down in-between them.

"I love you too," Casey gasped out as she felt Derek's fingers gently begin to stroke her and soon stars exploded behind her eyelids.

And finally, Casey MacDonald and Derek Venturi were both truly happy.

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**The End! Let me know what you thought of this story through feedback and if you want a sequel or not:-D**


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